System, method and apparatus for communicating information between a mobile communications device and a bar code reader

ABSTRACT

A system, method, and apparatus for communicating information encoded in a bar code format between a mobile communications device and a bar code scanner. Transmission information data is encoded into a bar code format. A signal is generated from the bar code format to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format; and the signal is transmitted as light pulses from the mobile communications device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates generally to communicating informationencoded in a bar code format, and more specifically to systems, methodsand apparatuses for communicating that information encoded in a bar codeformat from a mobile communications device to a bar code scanner.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] The use of bar code scanners in a great many aspects of everydaylife is commonplace. Bar code scanners are found in many different typesof facilities, including supermarkets, airport security, check-in andboarding areas, stadiums, libraries, test centers, conference centers,and many other places. The use of bar code scanners has dramaticallyincreased the speed at which many commonplace transactions can becompleted.

[0005] While typically printed on paper labels and stubs, bar codes mayalso be presented on the electronic displays of electronic devices suchas mobile communications devices. For example, in InternationalPublication no. WO 00/03328 dated Jan. 20, 2000, Motorola Inc. ofSchaumburg, Ill., describes the display of bar coded information on aselective call receiver (“SCR”). Demographic information concerning theuser of the SCR is stored in the SCR. The demographic information isvisually displayed on the SCR as a bar code such that it can be read bya bar code scanner, as in a store or at a point-of-sale. A stored couponmay also be displayed in bar code format so that it can be read andredeemed at the point-of-sale. A stored affinity card code and a uniqueidentifier may also be displayed in bar code format so that they can beread to identify a selected affinity group and the customer at thepoint-of-sale. As a further example, Aeritas Inc. of Dallas, Tex., hasproposed using voice recognition technology to allow a cellulartelephone user to identify himself or herself while obtaining wirelesslyfrom an airline computer an electronic bar coded boarding pass at theairport using only a cellular telephone. As proposed, the electronicboarding pass may be displayed as a bar code at the time of boarding onthe screen of the cellular telephone so that the gate attendant may scanthe boarding pass in a conventional manner.

[0006] While presenting information such as coupons and user affinityinformation in bar code form on a cell phone display can be quiteuseful, the technique has several disadvantages. Some bar code scanners,for example, cannot reliably read bar codes displayed on certain typesof cellular phone displays because the contrast ratio between the barsand spaces shown on the screen, which typically is a liquid crystaldisplay (“LCD”), is not sufficient. Further, the physical dimensionand/or resolution of the display may also limit the size of the bar codethat may be displayed at one time.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention includes a system, method, and apparatusfor presenting information encoded in a bar code format from a mobilecommunications device to a bar code scanner.

[0008] One embodiment of the present invention includes a method ofactively providing transmission information data to a bar code scannerfrom a mobile communications device. The method includes: encoding thetransmission information data into a bar code format; generating asignal from the bar code format to simulate a reflection of a scanningbeam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format;and transmitting the signal as light pulses from the mobilecommunications device.

[0009] Another embodiment of the present invention includes a method ofactively providing transmission information data to a bar code scannerfrom a mobile communications device. The method includes: encoding thetransmission information data into a bar code format; presentingrepresentative information of the transmission information data on auser output facility of the mobile communications device; generating asignal from the bar code format to simulate a reflection of a scanningbeam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format;and transmitting the signal as light pulses.

[0010] Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes a mobilecommunications device for actively providing transmission informationdata to a bar code scanner. The mobile communications device includes: aprogram component for rendering transmission information data into a barcode format; a second program component for generating a signal from thebar code format to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being movedacross a static visual image of the bar code format; and a light sourcefor transmitting the signal as light pulses from the mobilecommunications device.

[0011] Another embodiment of the present invention includes a mobilecommunications device for actively providing transmission informationdata to a bar code scanner. The mobile communications device includes: aprogram component for rendering transmission information data into a barcode format; a second program component for generating a signal from thebar code format to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being movedacross a static visual image of the bar code format; an output facilityfor presenting representative information of the transmissioninformation data on the mobile communications device; and a light sourcefor transmitting the signal as light pulses.

[0012] Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes a mobilecommunications device for actively providing transmission informationdata to a bar code scanner. The mobile communications device includes:encoding means for encoding the transmission information data into a barcode format; presentation means for presenting representativeinformation of the transmission information data on a mobilecommunications device; generating means for generating a signal from thebar code format to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being movedacross a static visual image of the bar code format; and transmissionmeans for transmitting the signal as light pulses from a mobilecommunications device.

[0013] Another embodiment of the present invention includes a system foractively providing transmission information data from a mobilecommunications device to a bar code scanner. The system includes aserver for providing transmission information data; a mobilecommunications device including a light source for providing a signal aslight pulses to a bar code scanner; and a host for providingcommunications between the server and the mobile communications device.The transmission information data is encoded into a bar code format, andthe signal is generated from the bar code format to simulate areflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual imageof the bar code format.

[0014] Another embodiment of the present invention includes a system foractively providing transmission information data from a mobilecommunications device to a bar code scanner. The system includes aserver for providing transmission information data; a mobilecommunications device including a light source and an output facility;and a host for providing communications between the server and themobile communications device. The transmission information data isencoded into a bar code format, and a signal is generated from the barcode format to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being movedacross a static visual image of the bar code format. Representativeinformation of the transmission information data is also presented onthe output facility of the mobile communications device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1A is a depiction of a bar code.

[0016]FIG. 1B is a graphical depiction of a signal representing the barcode of FIG. 1A for actively providing transmission information data toa bar code scanner.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method of actively providingtransmission information data to a bar code scanner.

[0018]FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of one implementation of asystem for providing transmission information data to a bar code scannerfrom a mobile communications device.

[0019]FIG. 4 is a pictorial representation of an electronic device inwhich an LED is used to actively provide a signal representingtransmission information data to a bar code scanner.

[0020]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative electronic devicein which an LED is used to actively provide a signal representingtransmission information data to a bar code scanner.

[0021]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an electronic device in which anIR port is used to actively provide a signal representing transmissioninformation data to a bar code scanner.

[0022]FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method of synchronizing an activepresentation of transmission information data to a scan sweep of a barcode scanner.

[0023]FIG. 8 is a pictorial representation of an electronic device inwhich a display screen is used to actively provide a signal representingtransmission information data to a bar code scanner.

[0024]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternative electronic devicein which a display screen is used to actively provide a signalrepresenting transmission information data to a bar code scanner.

[0025]FIG. 10 is a pictorial representation of an electronic device inwhich a bar code is statically presented on a display of the electronicdevice for presentation to a bar code scanner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026]FIG. 1A shows a bar code 10 that utilizes a series of verticallines, i.e., bars 14, and spaces 16 to represent an identification code.Different combinations of the bars and spaces can be used to representdifferent characters.

[0027] Conventional bar code scanners include sequential bar codescanners and charge-coupled device (“CCD”) bar code scanners. Asequential bar code scanner, for example, uses a scanning beam,typically narrow band light in the visible spectrum such as red laser,but potentially any bandwidth of light in the visible or infraredspectra, to pass over a sequence of bars and spaces such as bar 14 andspace 16 sequentially, e.g., left to right and/or right to left. Anothertype of sequential scanner is a wand scanner, which is swept across thebar code by a user to create the scanning beam. As the scanning beam oflight scans across the bar code 10, the beam is at least partiallyreflected back to the scanner by the spaces 16 and is at least partiallyabsorbed by the dark bars 14. A receiver, such as a photocell detector,in the bar code scanner receives the reflected beam and converts thebeam into an electrical signal. As the beam scans across the bar code,the scanner typically creates a low electrical signal for the spaces 16,i.e., reflected beam, and a high electrical signal for the bars 14,i.e., where the beam is absorbed. The scanner may, however, create a lowelectrical signal for the bars 14 and a high electrical signal for thespaces 16. The width of the elements determines the duration of theelectrical signal. This signal is decoded by the scanner or by anexternal processor into characters that the bar code represents.

[0028] In a CCD scanner, however, the scanner takes a digital image ofthe bar code and decodes the barcode using software that is well knownin the art to convert the elements into the identification code.

[0029] In either a sequential bar code scanner or a CCD scanner, thecontrast between the bar and space elements is used to distinguish theelements and decode the bar code. A bar code displayed on an LCD screensuch as on a PDA or cell phone, for example, has a lower contrastbetween the gray “off” state designating a space of the bar code and theblack “on” state designating a bar than is available for a bar codeprinted on a black and white label. This lower contrast between theelements of the bar code can result in a lower reliability of thedecoding process.

[0030]FIG. 2 shows a method of generating a signal for use with asequential bar code scanner that simulates a bar code with light pulses.The method of FIG. 2 is particularly useful for sequential bar codescanners that use the reflection of a scanning beam being moved over abar code. In block 20, transmission information data is acquired orgenerated. The transmission information data may be any type of datathat one may wish to communicate while at a facility equipped with a barcode scanner, including information conventionally communicated usingbar codes, as well as other types of information that are notconventionally communicated using bar codes because of, for example,physical limitations imposed by the bar code format. The transmissioninformation data, for example, may include numeric, alphabetic, oralphanumeric data, an index, or other data values. The transmissioninformation data may represent, for example, boarding pass information,e-ticket information, ticket information, credit card information, debitcard information, automated teller machine card information,identification information, account information, electronic paymentinformation, wire transfer information, purchase information, securityinformation, affinity information, and so forth.

[0031] The transmission information data may be stored locally on themobile communications device, such as in random access memory (“RAM”) orread only memory (“ROM”), or acquired from a remote source. The mobilecommunications device may include, for example, static or dynamic RAM(“SRAM” or “DRAM,” respectively), FLASH memory, or any other memoryknown in the art. The transmission information data may be programmedinto the device, entered into the device by the user, or received by thedevice from a remote source over any known communication technology suchas wireless transmission, universal serial bus (“USB”) transmission,parallel transmission, and serial transmission. The remote source may bea personal computer, a wireless operator, a server networked to thewireless operator, a peer networked to the wireless operator, a wirelessdata port, and so forth.

[0032] In block 22, representative information for the transmissioninformation data that will identify the transmission information data toa user of the mobile communications device is presented on an outputfacility of the device. The output facility may include, for example, adisplay such as an LCD screen of a PDA or wireless telephone, a speaker,or any other output device for communicating with a user. Therepresentative information may include the transmission information dataitself, or may be other information that the user will associate withthe transmission information data. In order to identify the desiredtransmission information data item, the representative information thatwill identify that transmission information data item may be rendered,for example, in a textual, numerical, and/or graphical form anddisplayed on a screen of a suitably equipped mobile communicationsdevice, or an audio message that is played over a speaker of a suitablyequipped mobile communications device. In FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, forexample, boarding pass information is displayed on a screen of a mobilecommunications device identifying the airline, the flight and seatnumbers, the date and departure time of the flight, and the gate number.In this manner, the user of the mobile communications device canidentify the transmission information data that is to be presented tothe bar code scanner. If multiple transmission information data itemsare stored locally on the device and/or remotely retrieved, for example,the user can scan through them and select the appropriate transmissioninformation data item to be presented to the bar code scanner.

[0033] In block 24, a bar code type is identified. The bar code type maybe any type of barcode known in the art, such as, but not limited to, aUPC, EAN, Interleaved 2 of 5, Code 93, Code 128, and Code 39, orspecially designed bar code types.

[0034] In block 25, the transmission information data is encoded into abar code format for the identified bar code type. The bar code formatmay be represented, for example, by a binary array. In a typicalsingle-dimensional barcode, for example, the smallest width of a bar orspace element of a bar code may be designated as a single element of anarray. If the bar code has a width of 256 dots or pixels, and thesmallest element of the bar code has a width of 4 dots or pixels, forexample, a binary array having sixty four array elements (e.g., a1, a2,. . . , a64) may be used to represent the bar code format. Each arrayelement is assigned a value depending on whether that portion of the barcode is part of a bar or a space. A bar, for example, may be designatedas having a value equal to one (e.g., a1=1), and a space maybedesignated as having a value equal to zero (e.g., a32=0). The array mayalso alternatively be a two-dimensional array, such as a bit map, thatmay be easily displayed on a screen. In yet another example, thetransmission information data may be encoded into a digital seriescorresponding to a bar code representation of the bar code type selectedin block 24. Alternatively, the transmission information data may beencoded into any number of other formats that may correspond to theselected bar code type identified in block 24. The bar code format mayalso be compressed or encrypted, such as when the bar code format is tobe transmitted from a remote source to the mobile communications device.

[0035] Optionally, the transmission information data may also bedisplayed in a visual format as well as being encoded in a bar codeformat such as shown in block 26. In this manner, the mobilecommunications device can actively provide the transmission informationdata to some bar code scanners such as sequential bar code scanners, andcan also statically provide the transmission information data to otherbar code scanners such as CCD scanners.

[0036] In block 27, a signal to simulate the reflection of a scanningbeam being moved across a visual image of the bar code format of block25 is generated from the bar code format. The simulated signal may begenerated corresponding to an approximated or measured scanning rate. Ifthe simulated signal is to be generated for a majority of the types ofscanners in common use today, such as a laser scanner that utilizes ascanning rate in the range of about 30 to about 60 scans per second, thesimulated signal may be generated using a scan rate within that range ofscan rates (e.g., about 45 scans per second). Alternatively, thesimulated signal may be generated using a variable scan rate that isswept throughout a range of scan rates. Alternatively, as describedbelow with respect to an exemplary infrared transmitter/receiver pair,the scan rate of the scanning beam may be measured where a receiver isavailable to detect the scanning beam. In this case, once the scanningrate or rates are determined, the signal is generated in block 27corresponding to this scan rate or rates.

[0037] In block 28, the simulated signal is transmitted as light pulses.For purposes of the present invention, the term “light” refers tovisible light and infrared light spectra. The term “pulse” refers to achange in light level where the characteristics of the change are notcritical. The light pulses may be generated in any visible or infraredwavelength desired by any light source known in the art, such as an LED,a laser, an infrared transmitter, a backlight of an LCD screen, or alight bulb.

[0038]FIG. 1A shows a representative bar code 10 that may have beendisplayed in block 26 of FIG. 2. The bar code 10 includes a quiet zone12, bars 14, and spaces 16. While FIG. 1A shows a quiet zone 12 beinglighter, the quiet zone may alternatively be darker if the scanner isadapted to recognize it. Correspondingly, the bars 14 and the spaces 16may be inverted such that the bars 14 are lighter than the spaces 16.

[0039]FIG. 1B shows an idealized representation of a signal generated inblock 27 of FIG. 2 corresponding to the reflection of a scanning beamoff a bar code 10 depicted in FIG. 1A. As a scanning beam scans acrossthe quiet zone 12 and the spaces 16, the beam is reflected to thescanner. As the beam scans across the bars 14, however, the beam isabsorbed (or at least the reflected beam has a lower amplitude than thebeam reflected from the lighter quiet zone 12 and spaces 16). Thus, theamplitude of the beam received at the scanner decreases at times t1, t3,t5, t7, and t9, which correspond to the beam reaching a leading edge ofa bar 14, and increases at time t2, t4, t6, t8, and t10, whichcorrespond to the beam reaching the falling edge of a bar 14.

[0040] Transmission information data encoded in a bar code format may beactively provided to a sequential bar code scanner by providing alight-based representation of a signal, such as shown in FIG. 1B, to ascanner instead of providing a static bar code image to the scanner.Since many bar code scanner receivers will receive visual wavelengthsignals, mobile communications devices that have components that operateat these wavelengths can be used to provide an active lightrepresentation of the simulated reflected scanning beam to a sequentialbar code scanner. The transmission information data may thus be activelyprovided to current or improved sequential bar code scanners without therequirement of altering the existing bar code scanner infrastructure.

[0041] When the bar code scanner receives the beam, the scanner decodesthe on/off sequence of the beam to determine the transmissioninformation data being provided, in a manner known in the art.

[0042] Sequentially providing such a signal to a sequential bar codescanner further allows for the transmission of bar code informationwithout regard to the physical size and/or resolution limitations of thedevice display. A bar code representation that might otherwise requirean unreasonably wide screen to convey all the information to thescanner, for example, may be provided directly to the scanner in onestep from even the narrowest of screens.

[0043]FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of one implementation of asystem 30 for providing transmission information data to a bar codescanner from a mobile communications device. Server 32 is connected to ahost 36 via a network 34, such as a local area network (“LAN”), a widearea network (“WAN”), an intranet, an extranet, the Internet, or otherknown network. The host 36, in turn, is connected to the mobilecommunications device 38, such as through wireless technology, phoneline, dedicated service line (“DSL”), cable connection, or other knownremote access technology. In one approach, for example, the server 32may maintain a database of transmission information data items that aretransmitted to the mobile communications device 38 via the host 36. Auser of the mobile communications device may remotely select one or moretransmission information data items, or the server 32 may provide atransmission information data item that has been selected for the userof the mobile communications device 38 either by the server 32 or someother system and communicated to the server, such as via the network 34.The server 32 retrieves the one or more transmission information dataitems from the database and provides the transmission information datato the mobile communications device via host 36. In this approach, themobile communications device 38 receives the transmission informationdata in block 20 of FIG. 2, and performs the remaining operationsdepicted in blocks 22, 24, 25, 27, and 28.

[0044] Alternatively, some or all of the processing shown in blocks 20,22, 24, 25, and 27 may be performed upstream of the mobilecommunications device 38, such as at server 32, at host 36, or at anintermediate location such as a component of network 34. For example,the server 32 may retrieve a transmission information data from adatabase, either on its own or in response to a request from the user ofthe mobile communications device 38, identify a bar code type (block24), encode the transmission information data into a bar code formatsuch as the array described above (block 25), and transmit the array tothe mobile communications device. If the mobile communications device 38does not already have representative information to display on thescreen of the device 38 (block 22), the server 32 may also provide thisinformation to the mobile communications device 38. Information providedto the mobile communications device 38 may be encrypted and/orcompressed as known in the art.

[0045]FIGS. 4 and 5 show pictorial representations of a wireless phone40 and a PDA 50 that include an alternative signal generator that may beused within the scope of the present invention. The wireless phone 40and the PDA 50 include visible light sources, such as light emittingdiodes (“LEDs”) 42 and 52, respectively, that may be used to present barcode information to a sequential bar code scanner. Such LEDs arecommonly used for such purposes as power management, including batterymanagement, and user notification. The LEDs 42 and 52 of the wirelessphone 40 and the PDA 50, respectively, may be alternated between on andoff or between relatively bright and relatively dark settings inaccordance with the simulated signal to simulate the movement of thereflection of a scanning beam across a conventional bar code. Thus, theLEDs 42 and 52 may be set to their brightest setting for a durationcorresponding to the time period during which the simulated scanningbeam would transition from the falling edge to the leading edge of abar, and to their darkest setting for the duration corresponding to thetime period during which the simulated scanning beam would transitionfrom the leading edge to the falling edge of a bar. If the light sourceis capable of emitting different colors such as red and blue, the lightsource may be alternated between different colors to simulate areflection from a visual image of the bar code format.

[0046]FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a personal data assistant(“PDA”) 60 that may alternatively be used to actively providetransmission information data within the scope of the present invention.The PDA 60 includes an infrared (“IR”) transmitter/receiver pair 62 thatis typically used in mobile communications devices to exchange digitalinformation. The PDA 60 may, for example, be operating under suchoperating systems as the Palm™ operating system and the Windows™ CEoperating system. Alternatively, other electronic devices that include atransmitter/receiver pair, such as an IR transmitter/receiver pair, mayalso be used within the scope of the present invention. In one approach,the PDA 60 selects a scan rate for the scanning beam, calculates asignal that corresponds to the reflection of a simulated scanning beammoving across a bar code image at that scan rate, and transmits thatsignal via the transmitter of the IR transmitter/receiver pair to thescanner.

[0047] In an alternative approach, the receiver of the pair may be usedto detect the scan rate of a sequential bar code scanner beam over oneor more scan cycles such as shown in FIG. 7. The PDA 60 may thencalculate the scan rate of the beam and synchronize its transmission ofa simulated reflected scanning beam to the scanner. If no beam isdetected, a default scan rate may be used. If the IRtransmitter/receiver pair 62 is not dedicated to the presentation of barcode information for the mobile communications device and the devicecannot distinguish the scanning beam from other IR transmissions, thePDA 60 is placed in a bar code presentation mode in block 70. In thismode, when a scanning beam of a bar code scanner is detected in block 71at the receiver of the IR transmitter/receiver pair 62 of the PDA 60, aninterrupt trigger is generated indicating the start of the sequentialscanner beam sweep. If a signal at a pin of the processor is normallylow (logical state) when no signal is detected and high when a signal isdetected at the receiver, the processor monitors the receiver anddetermines the duration that the pin stays at the high logical state inblock 72. This time corresponds to one scanner sweep. The processor candetermine the scan rate from the duration of one scan sweep in block 73.For example, a scan sweep of about 33 milliseconds corresponds to a scanrate of about 30 scans per second and a scan sweep of about 10milliseconds corresponds to a scan rate of about 100 scans per second.The processor also calculates the time sequence of the scan sweep thatcorresponds to the leading and ending quiet zones 12, and the bar codedata zone in block 74. This time sequence is scaled for presenting thesimulated reflected scanning beam to the scanner in one scan sweep inblock 75. When another incoming trigger is detected corresponding to thestart of a new scan sweep in block 76, the processor delays the start ofblock 78 to center the presentation of bar code data in the scan sweepof the scanner, and the simulated reflection of the scanning beamcorresponding to the bar code is transmitted via the IR transmitter ofthe IR transmitter/receiver pair 62 in block 78.

[0048]FIGS. 8 and 9 show pictorial representations of a wireless phone80 and a PDA 90 that include displays 82 and 92, respectively, that maybe used to present transmission information data to a sequential barcode scanner within the scope of the present invention. The displays 82and 92 of the wireless phone 80 and the PDA 90, respectively, may bealternated between on and off, or between relatively bright andrelatively dark settings, or between different colors such as red andblue, to simulate the movement of a scanning beam across a conventionalbar code. Thus, the displays 82 and 92, or at least a significant partthereof, may be set to their brightest setting for a durationcorresponding to the time period during which the simulated scanningbeam would transition from the following edge to the leading edge of abar, and to their darkest setting for the duration corresponding to thetime period during which the simulated scanning beam would transitionfrom the leading edge to the following edge of a bar. Alternatively, anyaspect of the display that may be changed and recognized by a bar codescanner receiver may be utilized. A display backlight, for example, maybe turned on and off to provide the simulated scanning beam signal tothe receiver. In some instances, combining the techniques may be mosteffective. For example, reflected light may be simulated by a whitescreen with a backlight on, while absorbed light may be simulated by adark screen with a backlight off.

[0049] The displays 82 and 92 may be used to display the representativeinformation of the transmission information data and to actively providethe transmission information data to a bar code scanner in variousmanners. For example, the display screen may display the representativeinformation first and, after a prescribed time period or after the userchanges the state of the mobile communications device such as bypressing a button, clear the display and begin to actively provide thetransmission information data to the bar code scanner. Alternatively,such as shown in FIG. 8, different portions of the display may be usedfor display the representative information data and to actively providethe transmission information data. The display may also be used todisplay the representative information and to simultaneously activelyprovide the transmission information data such as by flashing the backlight, changing the colors, inverting the display, or other changes inthe display characteristics.

[0050] Although the approaches listed above for actively presenting barcode information is generally preferred for use with sequentialscanners, there are instances in which statically displaying a bar codeon the display of a mobile communications device may be preferred. Forexample, when displaying a bar code to a CCD scanner, which takes adigital image of the bar code and decodes the image using software, itmay sometimes be preferred to present the bar code statically on thedisplay of the mobile communications device. Alternatively, it may bedesired to present the bar code information both statically and activelyfor presentation to a wider range of bar code scanners. When bar codesare statically displayed on a display, such as that of a mobilecommunications device, the present invention contemplates the followingmethods and apparatuses for improving the presentation of the bar code.

[0051]FIG. 10 shows a pictorial representation of a bar code 104statically depicted on a display 102 of a wireless phone 100. In oneapproach, the brightness and/or contrast of the display may be adjustedin order to increase the reliability of a scanning process. The devicemay, for example, automatically adjust the display to the maximumbrightness and/or contrast when a bar code is displayed. In anotherembodiment where the device includes a color display 102, at least oneelement of the barcode is depicted in color. The bar code 104 may bepresented in colors preferably located at opposite ends of the visuallight spectrum. In this embodiment, a a scanner may accept one of thecolors, but more effectively reject the other color. A bar code depictedwith red spaces and blue bars, for example, is more easily accepted by ascanner than a bar code depicted on a black and gray LCD display.

[0052] While the embodiments described above depict particularelectronic devices that may be used within the scope of the presentinvention, many different types of mobile communications devices arewell known and commercially available today, and a myriad of new mobilecommunications devices are likely to be introduced. These devicesexhibit great variety in their user input capabilities and displaycapabilities. Examples of mobile communications devices include personaldata assistants (“PDAs”) operating under such operating systems as thePalm™ operating system and the Windows™ CE operating system, a SmartPadnotepad such as is available from Seiko Instruments of Torrance, Calif.,and equipped with a wireless PDA device, two-way pagers, some types ofconsumer wireless Internet access devices (“CADs”) and Internetappliances, GSM phones, WAP-enabled phones, as well as J2ME (Java 2Micro Edition) phones available from various manufacturers such as Nokiaof Helsinki, Finland, and Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson of Stockholm,Sweden, personal communication system (“PCS”) phones, multi-functionwireless “smart” phones such as the iMODE phone available from NTTDocomo of Tokyo, Japan. Further examples of electronic devices that maybe used within the scope of the present invention include acommunications-enabled personal data assistant. Many different kinds ofcommunications-enabled PDAs are available. Examples include the Palm VIIconnected organizer, which is available from Palm Computing, Inc. ofSanta Clara, Calif.; the pdQ smartphone, which is available fromQUALCOMM Incorporated of San Diego, Calif.; and a variety of PDAssuitably equipped with attached wireless modems such as, for example,the Palm III and V connected organizers with Minstrel® Wireless PalmtopModems from Novatel Wireless Inc. of San Diego, Calif., which aredistributed by Omnisky Corp. of Palo Alto, Calif. Other examples includea number of devices based on the Windows™ CE operating system such asthe various devices available from, for example, Compaq Computer ofHouston, Tex., Hewlett Packard of Palo Alto, Calif., Casio Corporationof Tokyo, Japan; and the Revo organizer available from Psion PLC ofLondon, England. Another illustrative platform is the Wireless InternetDevice (“WID”), a type of device that includes the functionality of aphone as well as a PDA, WAP browser, and HTML browser. An example of aWID device is the communicator platform, which is being developed byEricsson. Any suitable wireless technology may be used, including, forexample, GSM, CDMA, TDMA, GRPS, and UMTS. Examples of user inputcapabilities offered by these devices include keypad, keyboard, stylus,ink, handwriting recognition, voice recognition, and so forth. Examplesof display capabilities offered by or suitable for these devices includeliquid crystal (“LCD”) displays, thin film transistor (“TFT”) displays,eyeglass displays (also know as personal viewing devices), heads updisplays, and so forth. Techniques for enabling graphical images such asbar codes to be shown on these devices are well known in the art, andinclude, for example, bit maps; JIF, GIF and other graphical file types;and instructions that upon execution recreate the image.

[0053] The description of the various embodiments set forth herein isillustrative of our invention and is not intended to limit the scopethereof, as variations and/or modifications are possible. Alternativesand equivalents may be apparent from this description. These and othervariations and modifications of the embodiments disclosed herein may bemade without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of actively providing transmissioninformation data to a bar code scanner from a mobile communicationsdevice comprising: encoding the transmission information data into a barcode format; generating a signal from the bar code format to simulate areflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual imageof the bar code format; and transmitting the signal as light pulses fromthe mobile communications device.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising identifying a bar code type, wherein the bar code formatcorresponds to the bar code type.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising displaying the bar code format in a static visual form. 4.The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission information data isreceived by a mobile communications device from one or more of the groupcomprising: a personal computer, a server, a database, a network, awireless host, a wireless port, and an Internet.
 5. The method of claim1, wherein the bar code format is received by a mobile communicationsdevice from one or more of the group comprising: a personal computer, aserver, a database, a network, a wireless host, a wireless port, and anInternet.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is received bythe mobile communications device from one or more of the groupcomprising: a personal computer, a server, a database, a network, awireless host, a wireless port, and an Internet.
 7. The method of claim1, further comprising: receiving a scanning beam; and determining a scanrate of the scanning beam.
 8. A method of actively providingtransmission information data to a bar code scanner from a mobilecommunications device comprising: encoding transmission information datainto a bar code format; presenting representative information of thetransmission information data using a user output facility of the mobilecommunications device; generating a signal from the bar code format tosimulate a reflection of a scanning beam being moved across a staticvisual image of the bar code format; and transmitting the signal in anactive visual form.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprisingidentifying a bar code type, wherein the bar code format corresponds tothe bar code type.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the outputfacility is a display.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprisingdisplaying the bar code format in a static visual form on the display.12. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmission information data isacquired.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmissioninformation data is generated.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein thesignal is transmitted via one or more of the group comprising: an LED,an infra-red transmitter, and a display screen.
 15. The method of claim8, wherein the signal is transmitted in a visible light spectrum. 16.The method of claim 8, wherein the signal is transmitted in an infra-redlight spectrum.
 17. The method of claim 10, wherein the signal istransmitted via altering one or more attributes of the display selectedfrom the group comprising: a brightness, a backlight, a contrast, acolor, and a power.
 18. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmittingstep utilizes a color light source.
 19. The method of claim 18, whereinat least one color is used that is adapted to be accepted by a bar codescanner.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one color is usedthat is adapted to be rejected by a bar code scanner.
 21. The method ofclaim 8, wherein the signal is transmitted via turning an LED on andoff.
 22. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal is transmitted viaactivating and deactivating an infrared transmitter.
 23. The method ofclaim 8, wherein the transmission information data is received by amobile communications device from one or more of the group comprising: apersonal computer, a server, a database, a network, a wireless host, awireless port, and an Internet.
 24. The method of claim 8, wherein thebar code format is received by a mobile communications device from oneor more of the group comprising: a personal computer, a server, adatabase, a network, a wireless host, a wireless port, and an Internet.25. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal is received by the mobilecommunications device from one or more of the group comprising: apersonal computer, a server, a database, a network, a wireless host, awireless port, and an Internet.
 26. The method of claim 8, furthercomprising: receiving a scanning beam; and determining a scan rate ofthe scanning beam.
 27. A mobile communications device for activelyproviding transmission information data to a bar code scanner, thedevice comprising: (a) a program component for encoding transmissioninformation data into a bar code format; (b) a second program componentfor generating a signal from the bar code format to simulate areflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual imageof the bar code format; and (d) a light source for transmitting thesignal as light pulses from the mobile communications device.
 28. Themobile communications device of claim 27, wherein the bar code formatcorresponds to a selected bar code type.
 29. The mobile communicationsdevice of claim 27, further comprising a display for displaying the barcode format in a static visual form.
 30. The mobile communicationsdevice of claim 27, wherein the transmission information data isreceived from one or more of the group comprising: a personal computer,a server, a database, a network, a wireless host, a wireless port, andan Internet.
 31. The mobile communications device of claim 27, furthercomprising a receiver adapted to receive a scanning beam for determininga scan rate of the scanning beam.
 32. A mobile communications device foractively providing transmission information data to a bar code scanner,the device comprising: (a) a program component for encoding transmissioninformation data into a bar code format; (b) a second program componentfor generating a signal from the bar code format to simulate areflection of a scanning beam being moved across a static visual imageof the bar code format; (c) an output facility for presentingrepresentative information of the transmission information data on themobile communications device; and (d) a light source for transmittingthe signal as light pulses.
 33. The mobile communications device ofclaim 32, wherein the output facility is a speaker.
 34. The mobilecommunications device of claim 32, wherein the bar code formatcorresponds to a selected bar code type.
 35. The mobile communicationsdevice of claim 32, wherein the output facility comprises a displayadditionally being for displaying the bar code format in a static visualform.
 36. The mobile communications device of claim 32, wherein thetransmission information data is acquired.
 37. The mobile communicationsdevice of claim 32, wherein the transmission information data isgenerated.
 38. The mobile communications device of claim 32, wherein thelight source is selected from one or more of the group comprising: anLED, an infra-red transmitter, and a display screen.
 39. The mobilecommunications device of claim 32, wherein the light source transmitsthe signal in a visible light spectrum.
 40. The mobile communicationsdevice of claim 32, wherein the light source transmits the signal in aninfra-red light spectrum.
 41. The mobile communications device of claim32, wherein the light source is a display for transmitting the signalvia altering one or more attributes of the display selected from thegroup comprising: a brightness, a backlight, a contrast, a color, and apower.
 42. The mobile communications device of claim 32, wherein atleast one color is used by the light source that is adapted to beaccepted by a bar code scanner.
 43. The mobile communications device ofclaim 32, wherein at least one color is used by the light source that isadapted to be rejected by a bar code scanner.
 44. The mobilecommunications device of claim 32, wherein the light source transmitsthe signal via turning an LED on and off.
 45. The mobile communicationsdevice of claim 32, wherein the light source transmits the signal viaactivating and deactivating an infrared transmitter.
 46. The mobilecommunications device of claim 32, wherein the transmission informationdata is received from one or more of the group comprising: a personalcomputer, a server, a database, a network, a wireless host, a wirelessport, and an Internet.
 47. The mobile communications device of claim 32,further comprising a receiver adapted to receive a scanning beam fordetermining a scan rate of the scanning beam.
 48. A system for activelyproviding transmission information data from a mobile communicationsdevice to a bar code scanner, the system comprising: (a) a server forproviding transmission information data; (b) a mobile communicationsdevice including a light source for providing a signal as light pulsesto a bar code scanner; and (c) a host for providing communicationsbetween the server and the mobile communications device, wherein thetransmission information data is encoded into a bar code format, and thesignal is generated from the bar code format to simulate a reflection ofa scanning beam being moved across a static visual image of the bar codeformat.
 49. The system of claim 48, wherein the bar code formatcorresponds to a selected bar code type.
 50. The system of claim 48,wherein the light source is selected from one or more of the groupcomprising: an LED, an infra-red transmitter, and a display screen. 51.The system of claim 48, wherein the server retrieves the transmissioninformation data via one or more of the group comprising: a personalcomputer, a second server, a database, a network, a wireless host, awireless port, and an Internet.
 52. The system of claim 48, wherein thebar code format is received by the mobile communications device.
 53. Thesystem of claim 48, wherein the signal is received by the mobilecommunications device.
 54. The system of claim 48, wherein the mobilecommunications device is adapted to receive a scanning beam to determinea scan rate of the scanning beam.
 55. A system for actively providingtransmission information data using a mobile communications device to abar code scanner, the system comprising: (a) a server for providingtransmission information data; (b) a mobile communications deviceincluding: (i) a light source for providing a signal as light pulses toa bar code scanner, and (ii) an output facility; and (c) a host forproviding communications between the server and the mobilecommunications device, wherein the transmission information data isencoded into a bar code format, the signal is generated from the barcode format to simulate a reflection of a scanning beam being movedacross a static visual image of the bar code format, and representativeinformation of the transmission information data is presented on theoutput facility.
 56. The system of claim 55, wherein the bar code formatcorresponds to a selected bar code type.
 57. The system of claim 55,wherein the output facility comprises a display for displaying the barcode format on the mobile communication device in a static visual form.58. The system of claim 55, wherein the transmission information data isacquired by the server.
 59. The system of claim 55, wherein thetransmission information data is generated by the server.
 60. The systemof claim 55, wherein the light source is selected from one or more ofthe group comprising of: an LED, an infra-red transmitter, and a displayscreen.
 61. The system of claim 55, wherein the light source transmitsthe signal in a visible light spectrum.
 62. The system of claim 55,wherein the light source transmits the signal in an infra-red lightspectrum.
 63. The system of claim 55, wherein the light source transmitsthe signal via altering one or more of the display attributes selectedfrom the group comprising of: a brightness, a backlight, a contrast, acolor, and a power.
 64. The system of claim 55, wherein at least onecolor is used by the light source that is adapted to be accepted by abar code scanner.
 65. The system of claim 55, wherein at least one coloris used by the light source that is adapted to be rejected by a bar codescanner.
 66. The system of claim 55, wherein the light source transmitsthe signal via turning an LED on and off.
 67. The system of claim 55,wherein the light source transmits the signal via activating anddeactivating an infrared transmitter.
 68. The system of claim 55,wherein the server retrieves the transmission information data via oneor more of the group comprising: a personal computer, a second server, adatabase, a network, a wireless host, a wireless port, and an Internet.69. The system of claim 55, wherein the bar code format is received bythe mobile communications device.
 70. The system of claim 55, whereinthe signal is received by the mobile communications device.
 71. Thesystem of claim 55, wherein the mobile communications device is adaptedto receive a scanning beam to determine a scan rate of the scanningbeam.
 72. The system of claim 55, wherein the output facility and thelight source are the same.
 73. A mobile communications device foractively providing information to a bar code scanner, the devicecomprising: (a) encoding means for encoding the transmission informationdata into a bar code format; (b) presentation means for presentingrepresentative information of the transmission information data on amobile communications device; (c) generating means for generating asignal from the bar code format to simulate a reflection of a scanningbeam being moved across a static visual image of the bar code format;and (d) transmission means for transmitting the signal as light from amobile communications device.
 74. The mobile communications device ofclaim 73, further comprising identification means for identifying a barcode type, wherein the bar code format corresponds to the bar code type.75. The mobile communications device of claim 73, wherein the bar codeformat is displayed on the presentation means in a static visual form.76. The mobile communications device of claim 73, further comprisingacquisition means for acquiring the transmission information data.